First of all, the worldbuilding? Top-tier. Clark really knows how to pull you into a rich, magical world rooted in African folklore and history. I could see the kingdom, feel the danger, and smell the air, his writing is that vivid. Abeni is such a compelling young heroine. She’s brave, smart, and growing into her power in a way that feels authentic and earned.

There’s action, heart, and real stakes. And the themes, freedom, legacy, and fighting for what’s right, hit in a powerful way.

This is exactly the kind of fantasy we need more of, Black, magical, and unapologetically bold.

I really enjoyed the first book in this middle grade series. It stood out to me because it had a slightly darker tone than typical middle grade stories, balanced with moments of levity and hope. The story begins when Abeni's village is attacked by mysterious storm women who kidnap all of the villagers. Abeni is saved by Asha, the village medicine woman, who begins to train her in the old ways. However, their peace is short-lived—Asha is killed in a second attack, and Abeni is left to continue her journey alone.

As Abeni ventures through her world in search of the missing villagers, she encounters spirits and even a reincarnated version of Asha, which adds a magical and emotional depth to the narrative.

The second book takes a much darker turn, once again weaving in powerful themes of colonization and resistance. Abeni and her friends are in pursuit of the Witch Priest—the story’s main antagonist—when they are captured by members of the oppressive Kingdom of Gold. I particularly appreciated this installment for its exploration of Abeni’s inner conflict. She grapples with her place in the group and her growing feelings of helplessness in the face of an overwhelming quest.

New characters are introduced who bring fresh energy and perspectives, enriching the storyline. The book builds to a fantastic conclusion, delivering both excitement and emotional payoff. Overall, it was a thoroughly enjoyable read and a strong continuation of the series.

I was so sure I'd left feedback on this but it turned out I did not! (tor please don't execute me. or turn me to gold. or put gold in me.)

Abeni thrills once more in this sequel, and P. Djèlí Clark weaves a masterful tale in Abeni and the Kingdom of Gold. Diving even deeper into the world, into emotions, into morality. Abeni soars high, and twists an thrilling epic for many middle graders. As I read the (wonderfully) dense text, all I can think of which of my students will enjoy this best.

I loved this first installment and this follow-up is excellent – there’s danger, violence, and more than enough action to keep readers turning pages! There are new characters that expands the crew and add depth and breadth to the narrative and combined with the surprising and engaging plot twists – we are immersed in a solid fantasy adventure. It is highly recommended for fans of the first book, with the note that it has older content and themes. Readers aged 10+ who enjoy fantasy will find this book appealing.

This is a middle grade book, but was still enjoyable for me, a cantankerous adult. Clark does not oversimplify the story nor provide obvious and cliched lessons. I did not realize that Abeni and the Kingdom of Gold was the second book in a series when I picked it up. However, that fact did not diminish my enjoyment. The important information from the previous book was woven in in a way that did not overwhelm the story, but provided vital information for a newcomer or a nice refresher for a returning reader. Abeni is resourceful, brave and empathic. She encounters strange creatures, some of whom wish her harm, but she continues to be open to new acquaintances and willing to ask for and receive guidance and help. She is empathetic and forgiving without being naively taken advantage of. In short, she is the kind of leader that I would hope to encounter if I were to become entrapped in an adventure. They story is well told and follows the rules that are established in the world building. I enjoyed it very much and will be giving this series as a gift to the children I know.

This was a great follow up to Abeni's Song. I will say that the new narrator for this audiobook is much better. Her character voices are less grating. I really liked this narrator. Overall this was a great fantasy. In this installment, Abeni agrees (is coerced) into procuring a lost golden throne for the magical gold spinning people who capture her and her companions. We find out more about Asha as Abeni and her crew are pursued by the Witch King's minions. I found this book absolutely delightful! 5 stars for Clark's latest

The world of Abeni’s Song grows so much in this second book in the series. The whole group from book 1 is back and this time their adventure takes them to the Kingdom of Gold where they end up on yet another quest to help this kingdom. I love that Clark is able to weave important discussions on oppression, facism, and systemic injustice into the narrative of this middle grade book in a way that is appropriate for kids and integrated into this brilliant fantasy world.

I am really excited to see where Abeni and her friends go next in this world as she fights back against the Witch Priest, trying to free the world from his oppression. This certainly felt a lot darker than book 1 so I would recommend this for upper MG or YA readers.

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Thank you to @torteen and @storygramtours for sending me a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

I adore Abeni and her band of friends. Clark has a treasured series here and I will always come back for more. the pacing and plot is great, keeping me engaged and interested. the stakes are always important and I love how he writes these characters, they are always learning and questioning. the strength of the friendships are on point and just fantastic to see on page. there is danger, adventure, tome for reflection and introspection. Just a truly great read that shows the spirit of children.

Abeni and the Kingdom of Gold is the sequel to Abeni’s Song, picking up where Abeni and her friends left off in their search for Abeni’s family and a way to keep Asha safe. Along the way, they are taken into the Kingdom of Gold and are sent on an unwilling adventure to the people of the kingdom against the Witch Priest.

I really enjoyed Abeni’s Song, and I was excited for the sequel. But something about this book didn’t quite capture me as much as Abeni’s Song did. It started out strong, with Abeni and her friends travelling, but as more characters were introduced some of what I found charming about the first book faded away. Some of the friendships and relationships with the new characters didn’t feel as fleshed out and it fell a bit flat as more people were added to their group. Abeni didn’t feel quite like what I remembered from the first book either, she wasn’t as understanding or as welcoming this time. The depth of the characters in the first one wasn’t built on very much, and felt like we moved backwards from some of the development they had previously had.

I also didn’t find the writing as strong this time. This is very much a me problem, but there was an abundance of exclamation points that took me out of the story. Rather than the writing showing us what might be surprising or exciting, it was instead shorter blunter sentences without as much description but an exclamation point would show us how the character was feeling. I don’t mind this in dialogue but it felt unnecessary for descriptive parts of the story. I also wasn’t a huge fan of the use of things like “woot” or “squee”. It just took away from what strong writing I remember in the first book, and what I expected this time.

Still though, despite my little nitpicks with the book, I know I’m not the age range for the book, and it was still really enjoyable. Middle grade and young adult readers will probably relate a lot more to it, and enjoy the excitement of the story without a problem with the writing. It was still a really fun follow up to Abeni’s Song, and I would still continue with any future books in the series.

In the follow up to Abeni's Song, Abeni continues her heroic journey through a fantastical Africa. This time, however the tale is not Abeni's alone, instead we have a split narrative, Abeni's ongoing quests and a new character. In Abeni and the Kingdom of Gold, the narrative is shared with Fulan the 16 year old adopted daughter of the Witch Priest, she is desperate to prove herself and given the mission of tracking down Abeni and Asha to bring them before the Witch Priest.

Abeni has grown in power since the first book, but still protects her teacher and reborn spirit Asha. Abeni has a small trusted group she travels with, both human and magical spirit. While they journey through the countryside they come to what the believe are golden statues, but the status come alive and capture them. This is their introduction to the Kingdom of Gold where prisoners and outsiders are force to mine for the gold that builds the city and fuels its economy. But all is not well, and the Witch Priest's strength and power grows, and he dreams of empire.

A great expansion of Abeni's world, introducing more characters, motivations and locations. It feels like the middle point before a great showdown between Abeni (and Asha) and the Witch Priest.

Recommended to readers of fantasy, heroes journeys or mythical stories made modern.

I am a huge fan of P. Djèlí Clark's adult books and this middle grade series he is writing is right on par with the quality of his adult books. Abeni is an amazing character and I love the various magic systems and places that we get to explore in this sequel.

Set in a fantastical Africa, a found family of sorts is looking for the Elder Gods following the happenings of the first book. However, their search is waylaid by a city of Gold Weavers who may or may not be in league with the Witch Priest, the returning evil from the first book. Featuring dragons and dream magic, moth-riders and magic swords, this is a fast-paced middle grade adventure with high stakes and a fantastic group of characters that each contribute to the story in unique ways.

This Abeni series is one that I will definitely be keeping up with and enjoying for as long as possible.

Thank you to Tor and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book!

P. Djèlí Clark's work is masterfully imaginative. I never know what to expect from the worlds he creates and that is part of the pleasure of reading his work. While I fervently hope for more djinn books, I will hungrily read whatever stories he shares and Abeni is a wonderful character to spend time with.

DNF at 19%. I really liked the first book, but I’m clearly not in the right headspace for this book. May try again later.

I absolutely loved the first installment in this series so I was excited to receive an advanced reader copy of this book. It was excellent, but felt far more YA than <i>Abeni's Song</i>. The danger and violence are both ratched up a few notches, and the action moves along more quickly.

I did enjoy the continued friendships and how they developed quite a bit. I enjoyed the character of Asha and I especially enjoyed a couple of the new characters. There were some twists that were a lot of fun and overall this was a great fantasy adventure. I would recommend it to fans of the first book with the caveat that it does skew older in both content and themes. Readers 10+ who are fans of fantasy will enjoy this book!

Disclaimer: I received a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!

I love how Abeni has grown emotionally! I love the mythology and the world-building! Therefore, it lived up to the first novel! More to come closer to release day!